Last-Train Meals Productive Thinking Model
Do more than keep two people busy. Change the method so the last passenger gets a hot meal.
Eight booked passengers arrive in round 1 and leave at the end of round 4. Try the original plan, then redesign the schedule around its bottleneck.
Success: 8 people served on time · no cold meals or leftovers · upgrades ≤2 units · 2 workers
Meet the original deadline with 2 upgrade budget units.
Read the arrivals → ask a question and collect ideas → choose upgrades and schedule six rounds → trial run. Revise freely; speed of input is not scored.
Go to upgrades and scheduling ↓The counter starts empty. Cook for one round; meals can be served from the next. The trial reveals results round by round.
Counter stock includes meals just completed this round. Freshly cooked meals cannot be served until the next round. Normally they remain available for the two rounds after completion.
Old results do not update when you modify the plan. Replay the last trial below.
Passenger timetable · Known facts
What question opens up different solutions?
Changing the question opens different approaches. All equipment is always available; questions do not unlock it. Your shortlist is a comparison record.
Batch cooking raises throughput, but cooking more is not automatically success.
Turn ideas into an executable plan
Upgrade budget 0/2 units · Ingredients 8 portions An uninstalled idea has no effect; equipment also needs an operator.
Adds Cook 4. Larger batches do not mean you should always cook more.
Both workers can cook in the same round; uses the entire standard upgrade budget.
Adds Quick pickup: 4 booked passengers each time, but only 1 walk-in.
Meals can be collected for 4 rounds after completion, instead of the usual 2.
Give A and B specific actions
Serving uses meals already available; cooking finishes at round end. If two cooking tasks compete for one burner, A goes first and B waits.
What does each action do?
Cook 2: Uses 1 burner; finishes at round end, available next round.
Cook 4: Requires a large pot; uses 1 burner.
Serve 2: Serve up to 2 waiting people from existing hot meals, earliest departures first.
Quick pickup: Requires a pickup rack; up to 4 booked passengers, but only 1 walk-in after checking.
Stand by: Uses no resources.